Electronic versus paper questionnaires: a further comparison in persons with asthma

Area of Science:

• Clinical Research
• Health Informatics
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Electronic data capture (EDC) for health-related quality of life (HRQOL) assessment is increasingly adopted.
• Validation of electronic HRQOL measures against traditional paper methods is crucial for reliable data.
• Asthma-specific quality of life questionnaires (AQLQ(S), PAQLQ(S), PACQLQ) are widely used.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the validity and reliability of paper versus electronic administration of three asthma-related quality of life questionnaires.
• To assess patient preference between paper and electronic formats for HRQOL data collection.
• To evaluate the psychometric properties of electronic versions of the AQLQ(S), PAQLQ(S), and PACQLQ.

Main Methods:

• A crossover design study involving adults and children with asthma and their caregivers.
• Subjects completed both paper and electronic versions of the AQLQ(S), PAQLQ(S), or PACQLQ.
• Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Pearson correlations were used to compare EDC and paper versions; reproducibility of EDC was also assessed.

Main Results:

• High intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were found between paper and EDC versions (0.96 for AQLQ(S), 0.91 for PAQLQ(S), 0.82 for PACQLQ).
• One-week reproducibility of EDC versions was good (ICCs ranging from 0.78 to 0.88).
• A significant majority of participants (69-77%) preferred the electronic administration method.

Conclusions:

• Electronic data capture (EDC) provides a valid and reliable alternative to paper-based administration for the AQLQ(S), PAQLQ(S), and PACQLQ.
• The findings support the use of EDC for assessing HRQOL in asthma populations.
• High patient preference further supports the adoption of electronic methods in clinical practice and research.